Bookstand



Dec. 10, 1940. l. M. WEINSTEIN BOOKSTAND Filed April 19, 1940 ,INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 10, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE BOOKSTAND Irving M. Weinstein, Chicago, IlL Application April 19, 1940, Serial No. 330,604

3 Claims.

This invention relates to bookstands, and itsgeneral object is to provide a'portable stand in the form of an easel for holding reading matter,

such as a book or the like in open position and at a proper inclination to facilitate reading the same, and without interference when turning the pages.

A further object is to provide a bookstand that is preferably made from sheet material of any kind suitable for the purpose, to provide a base,

a book receiving ledge and back rest, as well as supporting meansfor and hinged to the back rest and being associated with the base for supporting the back rest at an inclination, the ledge 5 being hollow to provide a compartment'for housing articles such as pencils or the like, and preferably having each of its ends open, with handled and hinged closures therefor. to prevent casual removal of the articles from the compartments.

Another object is to provide a portable stand that is foldable so as to take up minimum space, and which can be set up and folded in an easy andexpediti'ous manner, but when setup is capable of supporting a maximum load, without possibility of collapsing or casual folding.

A still further object is to provide a bookstand that is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and extremely eflicient in operation, use and service.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of my bookstand in set up position and in use.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken approximately on line direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the stand in folded position.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a modified form of my stand lookingtoward the rear thereof.

Figure 5 is a similar view of a further modified form.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view illustrating the closure at one end of the article receiving compartment in open position.

Figure '7 is a fragmentary perspective view 2-2 of Figure 3, looking in the illustrating a'modified form of holding tabs for the back rest'supporting means of the form of Figure 5.

Referring to the drawing in detail, it will be noted that each form of my stand shown is made essentially from sheet material, and in the form of Figures 1 to 3, a single sheet of material such as relatively stiff cardboard-or the like is folded to provide a base member I having a ledge formed on the forward end thereof, the ledge including an upright front wall 2 and a rear wall 3 directed toward the base I for disposal at a rearward inclination. Formed on the rear wall is a back rest 4 that cooperates with the rear wall of the ledge when the stand is in set up position to receive and support a book in open position, as clearly shown in Figure 1.

At the juncture of the rear wall 3 and the back rest 4 the sheet is bent to provide what may be termed a hinge for free swinging movement of 20 the back rest, and along the bend there is provided suitable fastening means such as staples 5 or the like for fixing the rear wall 3 to the base,

so that the ledge walls together with the forward portion of the base provide a compartment 6 having open endsfor receiving articles, such as pencils, as shown in Figure 3. Closures! are preferably provided for the open ends of the compartment and the closures may be hinged to the ends 3 of the rear wall 3, by any suitable means, such as strips of fabric. However, the closures may be integral with the rear wall and bent at the juncture thereof for swinging movement into and out of closed position, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 6. The closures are shown as being pro- 3 vided with knob like handles to facilitate opening and closing the same.

Hinged to the rear end of the back rest 4 by a strip 8 of fabric adhesively secured thereto, is a bracing or supporting member 9 for the back rest and adhesively or otherwise secured along the rear edge of the base for disposal on the upper surface thereof in the path of the rear end of the supporting member 9 to receive the same, is an abutment strip In to hold the strand in its set up position, as clearly shown in Figure 1.

While the supporting member 9 is shown as being hinged to the back rest by a strip of fabric adhesively secured thereto, the supporting member 9 can be integral with the back rest and bent along its Juncturetherewitli, and all of the parts of the stand may be covered with finishing material, .such as leather, fabric or heavy paper, 55 which may be plain or of fanciful design.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that my stand can be readily folded as shown in Figure 3, or set up in position for use as shown in Figure l, on a table or other suitablev supportin means, and when in its latter position, is capable of supporting a book, pamphlets, sheet music, or any reading matter, at the desired or proper inclination to facilitate reading the same.-

Each of the other forms shown likewise include a hollow ledge providing a compartment having open ends, with handled closures therefor, the handles being indicated by the reference numeral II. The ledge l2 of the form of Figure 4 likewise has a back rest I 3 formed thereon for movement into and out of use, but the back rest I 3 differs from the back rest 4, in that the former has struck therefrom a supporting member I to provide a recess or pocket I! in the rear face thereof for receiving the supporting member I when the stand is folded. The supporting member is preferably reduced inwardly to provide a relatively long outer end receivable in any one of a plurality of parallel grooves l6 extending transversely of the base member I! for supporting the back rest 13 at various angles, as will be apparent. The supporting member It by being formed as shown and described, is integral with the back rest If for free movement with respect thereto, but the supporting'member H may be otherwise hinged to the back rest I 3, as for example by a strip of fabric.-

The ledge of the form of Figure 5 is indicated by the reference numeral I8 and formed on the rear wall thereof is a back rest l9 that has hinged to its rear end a supporting member 20. Formed on the free end of the supporting member 20 is a pair of tabs 2! receivable in any companion pair of slots 22 arranged in an auxiliary base member 23, so that the back rest l9 can be supported at various inclinations, as will be ap-' The auxiliary base member 23 rests and is suitably parent. upon-the main base member 24 connected thereto.

In Figure 7, the tabs 25 are in the form of lugs riveted or otherwise secured to the free end of the supporting member 26, and of course it will be understood that the tabs 25 are to be received in any one companion pair of slots, in the same manner as the tabs 2| in Figure 5.

It is thought from the foregoing description that. the advantages and novel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A foldable bookstand comprising a base, a

ledge at the forward end of the base and including an upright wall, a rearwardly inclined wall formed on the upright wall and cooperating therewith and the forward portion of the base to provide a compartment having open ends for receiving articles therein, handled closures for said ends and hinged thereto, a back rest hinged to said inclined wall, supporting means for the back rest and hinged thereto for folding the back rest and supporting means relative to the base, fastening means extending through the base and at the juncture of the inclined wall with the back rest to permanently hold the ledge and compartment intact when the stand is in folded or set up positions, and means associated with the base for receiving the supporting means to hold the latter and the back rest in set up position. 2. A foldable bookstand comprising a base, a ledge at the forward end of the base and including an upright wall, a rearwardly inclined wall formed on the upright wall and cooperating therewith and the forward portion of the base to provide a compartment having open ends for receiving articles therein, handled closures for said ends and hinged thereto, a back rest hinged to said inclined wall, supporting means for the back rest and hinged thereto for folding the back rest and supporting means relative to the base, fastening means extending through the base and at the juncture of the inclined wall withthe back rest to permanently hold the ledge and compartment intact when the stand is in folded or set up positions, and said base having a plurality of "parallel grooves extending transversely therein for any one of the grooves to receive the supporting'means to hold the latter and the back rest in set up position.

3. A foldable bookstand comprising a base, a ledge at the forward end of the base and including an upright wall, a rearwardly inclined wall formed on the upright wall and cooperating therewith and the forward portion of the base to provide a compartment having open ends for receiving articles therein, handled closures for said ends and hinged thereto, a back rest hinged to said inclined wall, supporting means for the back rest and hinged theretov for folding the back rest and supporting means relative to the base, fastening means extending through the base and at the juncture of the inclined wall with the back rest to permanently hold the ledge and compartment intact when the stand is in folded or set up positions, a pair of tabs secured to and extending from the free end of the supporting means, and said base having a plurality of slots therein arranged in pairs for any pair of the slots to receive the tabs to hold the supporting means and the back rest in set up position.

IRVING M. WEINSTEIN. 

